Bill Aitken came to India nearly 60 years ago. He never returned. An Indian citizen since 1972, he tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih how India changed his life forever.
A court in Haryana's Sonipat has summoned AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on February 17 on a complaint over his claim that the BJP-ruled state was mixing "poison in the Yamuna" river. The court issued the notice after a complaint was filed by an executive engineer of the Rai Water Services Division, Sonipat. Earlier, Haryana's Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Vipul Goel said the state government would file a case against Kejriwal for his remark.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a holy dip in the Sangam at Maha Kumbh on Sunday, urging the BJP to bathe with "patience." He criticized the BJP for splashing water on each other after bathing in the Sangam, saying people come to Kumbh for virtue and charity, not for water sports. Yadav, who had earlier taken a dip in the Ganga river in Haridwar on Makar Sankranti, said he had always visited the religious congregation. The latest official figures show that 1.17 crore people took a dip in the Sangam till late Sunday afternoon, bringing the total number of 'snan' (bath) in Maha Kumbh since its start to 11.47 crore.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday urged the party to be a party of hope, not resentment, a party of the future not just of the past, and a party with a positive narrative and not just criticism. He also slammed the BJP for trying to divide North from South, emphasizing the need for inclusivity and national harmony. Tharoor highlighted the importance of economic growth and equitable distribution of its benefits, calling for the Congress to remain the voice of the voiceless.
Terrorism and insurgency in J&K had subsided when India demolished East Pakistan -- for the simple reason that Pakistan understands power. We need to follow Chanakya's dictum of Saam, Daam, Dand, Bhed for strategising against Pakistan, asserts Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (Retd). The ground truth is that unless we are prepared to acknowledge our shortcomings, including massive intelligence failures, punish those responsible and take corrective actions, we will continue in the same vein, asserts Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (Retd).
India and China have agreed to rebuild ties and resume people-to-people exchanges, including resuming direct flights and the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra this year. The two countries also discussed the resumption of dialogue mechanisms to address each other's concerns and move relations to a more stable path. The meeting comes after a period of strained relations following the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.
Road construction contractor Suresh Chandrakar, the prime accused in journalist Mukesh Chandrakar murder case in Chhattisgarh, had allegedly hatched a conspiracy to kill him four to five days before the incident, the special investigation team (SIT) said on Thursday.
The Northern Railways said it has cancelled around 17 trains and diverted around 12 others, while traffic has been suspended at four locations due to waterlogging.
'If there is a military standoff eyeball to eyeball on the western border, the Chinese could create problems by making movements in the north, in our northeast, which could involve us tying down some forces there so that could stretch our military actions.'
The Congress's second AICC session in Gujarat post-Independence is being held on the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's party presidency and the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The ashes of former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were immersed in the Yamuna river near the Majnu ka Tila Gurdwara in New Delhi. The immersion ceremony was conducted by Singh's family members following Sikh rituals. The ashes were collected from the Nigambodh Ghat on Sunday morning and taken to the 'Asth Ghat' on the Yamuna river bank near the gurdwara. Singh's wife Gursharan Kaur, their three daughters -- Upinder Singh, Daman Singh and Amrit Singh -- along with other relatives were present at the immersion site.
Asra Hussain Raza, a 26-year-old daughter of Indian immigrants, was among the 67 people killed in a tragic midair collision between an Army helicopter and a jetliner at Ronald Reagan National Airport in the US. The collision, the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since 2001, happened when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with the Army helicopter as it approached the airport on Wednesday night. Raza, a consultant, graduated with honors from Indiana University and married her college sweetheart in August 2023.
Following the mid-air collision between an American Airlines plane and a United States Army helicopter in which all 67 are feared dead, President Donald Trump on Thursday blamed former Democratic Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama for lowering air safety standards.
The Supreme Court has directed a Maharashtra authority to respond to a man's plea for initiating contempt action against it after his properties were demolished for allegedly raising anti-India slogans during a cricket match. The petitioner, who hails from Sindhudurg district in the state, claims his house and shop were demolished on February 24 following an FIR against him, his wife, and his 14-year-old son for allegedly raising anti-India slogans during the India-Pakistan Champions Trophy match. The plea argues that the demolition violated the Supreme Court's November 13, 2024 verdict on demolition of properties, which barred demolition without a prior showcause notice and 15 days' time for the aggrieved party to respond. The petitioner seeks directions for initiating contempt proceedings against the chief officer and administrator of the Malvan Municipal Council.
Salman Khan's Sikandar may not be the spectacle one hoped it would be. Many decades ago, Sohrab Modi made the historical extravaganza Sikandar that continues to inspire audiences today.
Explore the spiritual heart of North India with our curated list of 8 must-visit places. From ancient temples to sacred rivers, discover the region's rich spiritual heritage.
Neither Mohammed Shami nor Mohammed Kaif traveled to the Maha Kumbh Mela.
Major rivers of the state, including the Brahmaputra, were flowing above the danger level at different places.
MV Ganga Vilas will begin its journey from Varanasi and sail around 3,200 km in 51 days to reach Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh, traversing across 27 river systems in the two countries, it said.
The Uttar Pradesh government has said that over 65 crore people visited the sacred site in Prayagraj since the Maha Kumbh began on January 13.
A senior railway official in Bihar was left stunned when a group of rural women claimed that they had been allowed to travel without tickets by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The incident occurred at the Buxar railway station bordering Uttar Pradesh, where the official was inspecting the station due to the higher-than-expected rush of pilgrims visiting the Maha Kumbh. The official, Danapur Divisional Railway Manager Jayant Kumar, asked the women if they had tickets, and when they replied in the negative, he asked who told them they could travel without tickets. The women replied "Narendra Modi told us so," leaving the official speechless for a few seconds before he corrected them, stating that neither the prime minister nor any other authority had allowed this. The video of the conversation has gone viral on social media.
Disha's bold & beautiful power dressing... Vicky, Rashmika in Amritsar... Shahid gets nostalgic...
Within India, people are selecting destinations via routes such as Lakshadweep, Alappuzha, the Sundarbans, Goa and Kochi for pre-wedding parties.
Government representatives told a parliamentary panel that the US has not officially conveyed to India that it should cut tariffs by April 2.
The Congress party on Monday defended its decision not to accompany the family of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the immersion of his ashes in the Yamuna, stating it was to ensure their privacy. Congress leader Pawan Khera said senior leaders did not accompany the family to gather and immerse the ashes of Dr Singh "out of our deference to the privacy of the family."
The couple were reported to have been returning from the competition and travelling with a group of young skaters.
MC Mary Kom on Sunday expressed happiness as she was able to participate in the Maha Kumbh.
The glimpses of the "Maha Kumbh Mela", or the Great Pitcher Festival, in Prayagraj, January 13, 2025.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu showered gifts on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman when he met her in New Delhi on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.
A convicted murderer is set to be executed by firing squad in the United States state of South Carolina on Friday, marking the state's first use of the method and the first such execution in the US in nearly 15 years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his two-day state visit to Mauritius, presented President Dharam Gokhool with Gangajal from the Maha Kumbh Mela. The visit marks Modi's return to Mauritius after nearly a decade, showcasing the strong relationship between India and Mauritius.
'Many of them are mutilated beyond recognition. Every day an encounter takes place.' 'Bastar has been burnt to ash.'
On Saturday, September 28, 2024, continuous rain in Ujjain has led to an increase in the water levels of the Shipra river.
Hike through Meghalaya's newest tourist magnet.
Police in Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, have filed a case against Public Works Department (PWD) officials and Google Maps in connection with the deaths of three men whose car fell into a river from a partially constructed bridge while following directions on the navigation app. The car was led by Google Maps onto an unsafe route, according to police. An FIR was filed against four PWD engineers, and the regional officer of Google Maps is also being investigated.
'The Triveni Sangam transcends images, words, definitions, all. How do you attempt to describe the Infinite?'
Among heavy criticism of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remarks on Prayagraj's Mahakumbh, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj on Wednesday supported the CM, saying that the religious event has been mismanaged.
Temples across Uttar Pradesh were packed with devotees on Sunday for Ram Navami, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath leading prayers at the Gorakhnath Temple. Heavy crowds were witnessed at temples in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Varanasi, where security was heightened. In Gorakhpur, Adityanath performed the traditional kanya pujan ritual, while in Varanasi, a 51-foot statue of Lord Ram has become a major attraction. The festival was celebrated with enthusiastic fervor across the state.
'When we finally immersed ourselves in the sacred waters, remembering Ganga Maa and Lord Mahadev, we felt a profound sense of accomplishment,' says Satish V.
